The Story of a Wee Little Man
by Imokru
Summary: The story of a man that the world considered worthless, and how his life was impacted by God. Please Read and Review.


Authors Note: The basis for this story is Luke 19:1-10

The Story of a Wee Little Man

"_Zacchaeus was a wee little man."_

The child listened to his parents. They spoke in soft tones, thinking he was asleep. He really should go to bed, he thought, feeling slightly guilty. His mother had told him too, and he always did what his mother said. He loved his mother. His world revolved around her, and even though she was trying to be quiet, he could hear his mother crying. He would just stay long enough to make sure she was all right. Then he would go to sleep. He listened, hearing snatches of their conversation. 

"But I'm worried. This isn't the first time he's come home crying. And when I asked what happened to his nose he wouldn't tell me. He doesn't have to. I'm his mother, I know what's going on. Those children...."

"Shh, you'll wake him. I too know what's going on."

"Just because he looks different..."

It was his fault! His mother was crying because of him. The confines of his small world came crashing in on him. He had made up his mind not to say anything about the constant bullying he had to put up with to his mother. He had known it would break her heart. All she wanted was the best for her only little boy. 

He rushed into the room, not remembering that he was supposed to be asleep, collapsing on his mother's lap, sobbing.

"Oh mommy, don't cry. I'm okay. It doesn't hurt; I don't care what they say about me. Just don't cry mommy." 

__

"A wee little man was he."

He was quite grown up now. He still shuddered when he thought back to his childhood years. Of course, thinking about his childhood brought back memories of his mother. How he missed her! And to think that it had only been a year since she had died.

Since then he had been completely on his own; his father having died when he was still a young boy. He had never married, mostly because of his appearance. His short stature didn't fit the definition of handsome. He was even considered ugly. Thinking about his height inevitably led to thinking about his childhood, which once again led to thinking about his mother. What a viscous cycle. Not that he wanted to forget his mother. He didn't, it just brought back so many painful memories and made him more aware of the loneliness that he lived with. It was as if a hole had opened up inside of him, as if something were missing.

He didn't want to think about that. Not today. Today he had found the perfect way to get back at all of them for the years of isolation. He had found a job that would give him authority over them, make him rich! He was going to be a tax collector. He knew that they would hate him all the more for it, but what did that matter? He knew he would even be considered a traitor, collecting taxes for the Roman Empire. But the Roman Empire didn't care the amount of taxes you collected, as long as they got their set price. He could charge people four times as much as they really owed, and it would all be perfectly legal. He pushed aside the nagging voice inside, telling him that just because it's legal doesn't make it right. He didn't really care about morals right now. He just wanted revenge. The thought of power intoxicated him, drew him on. He knew that he would barely be considered better than the man whose job it was to collect dung, but that didn't bother him at all. 

At least, that's what he told himself.

__

"He climbed up in a sycamore tree for the Lord he wanted to see."

Ok, maybe he couldn't handle this after all. Sure it was fun at first, watching his tormentors' squirm when he told them they still owed more. Sure he had more money now than he knew what to do with. But that voice inside wouldn't leave him alone, reminding him that nothing had changed, that he was still an outcast. 

Only now he deserved to be ostracized. He knew that he was nothing more than a thief. And the knowledge ate at him day after day. He had no idea what he could do to even begin to make things right, and so he did nothing.

Until one day when he overheard a conversation about some new teacher. When he heard who his followers were, it really caught his attention. One of them was a former tax collector? Impossible. Surely it couldn't be, and yet he wondered. He listened long enough to hear when this teacher, they said his name was Jesus, was passing by. 

He got to the road early, knowing that he would have to get a spot near the front so that he could see. To his surprise a crowd was already gathered. He tried to get in, but no one was going to make room for the town tax collector. Defeated once again. 

As he turned to leave, a tree with some low hanging branches caught his eye. No, that was crazy. A man his age wouldn't be caught dead climbing trees. And yet, what did he have to lose? The townsfolk already thought he was a traitor. Why not add crazy to the list?

And so he climbed the tree. Perhaps it was a better spot anyway. From up here he could see without being bothered and he could watch without being noticed.

"_And as the Savior passed that way, He looked up in the Tree. And He said, "Zaccheaus, You come down. For I'm going to your house today."_

Well, so much for not being noticed. Jesus seemed to know that he was there even before he looked up. He had walked right over to the tree and looked up. Then He asked him to come down, so that He could stay at his house. This was great! Now he could find out what it was about this Jesus that transformed people.

But as he climbed out of the tree the townsfolk began to murmur saying, "Doesn't Jesus know what He's doing? That man is a sinner! Why would He want to go eat there? He should go somewhere more befitting of his status. Jesus claims He was sent by God. Would someone holy go and actually stay at a sinner's house? I don't think so."

This brought back reality. They were right. It must be some sort of joke. No one who was sent by God would eat with him, a sinner.

Desperately, wanting to win this man's approval, he cried out, "I'll give half of what I own to the poor."

The townspeople were still glaring, but Zaccheaus hardly noticed. He was focused on something that was happening inside him even as he spoke.

"And I will repay back anyone I have cheated four times the amount I stole."

And Jesus answered him, "Today salvation has come to this house, For you too are a son of Abraham." Then for the benefit of the townspeople: "For I came to seek and to save what was lost."

Looking into Jesus' eyes, Zaccheaus saw something that he hadn't seen in a long time: approval. What's more, he knew that even if the townspeople didn't accept him, it didn't matter. He had found Someone who would, no matter what he did. He had found Someone who loved him enough to reach out, even though he was a sinner.


End file.
